Bad breath?

We all experience bad breath every once in a while. But for some people, it's a daily problem without a solution. There are a number of things that can cause halitosis — which is bad breath. 

A lot of them are things we already know, like garlic, onions, or "morning breath." But there's a hidden culprit behind it all.

Today, I want to talk about the hidden culprit of bad breath & what you can do about it.

What's causing my bad breath?

For most of us, it's bacteria. They sit on our teeth & in debris on our tongue & stink up the whole mouth.

So it shouldn't be a surprise when I tell you that halitosis is related to poor oral hygiene. Things like gum disease, gingivitis & dry mouth can also help these bacteria thrive.

On rarer occasions, you can have bad breath from tonsillitis. Other things, like liver or kidney disease, can also cause your mouth to stink. But in these cases, you'll usually have other, more pressing, symptoms.

Wait… does my breath actually smell bad?

Sometimes, you may think your breath smells bad, even when it's actually fine. This is called "pseudo-halitosis." It usually comes from the fear of having bad breath. So if you check your breath & gag, but others around you don't seem to notice, it's possible your breath is fine.

Okay, my breath actually stinks. What do I do?

There are a lot of things you can do to improve your breath. A few of them are:

• Brush your teeth at least twice a day
• Avoid tobacco, both smoking & chewing
• Rinse & gargle with an alcohol-free mouthwash
• Visit your dentist regularly

If you have dry mouth, also remember to drink lots of fluids throughout the day. If you don't see any improvement, try talking to a specialist. Bad breath is beatable. You simply need to know where to start.